How to Train a Dog

21/06/2025

Seriously though, if you have a tennis ball happy dog, it is worth noting that the fuzz on a tennis ball rubs the enamel off the teeth - a very expensive vet visit.

16/06/2025

This shouldn’t be happening. Councils need to step up and help educate. Do you know what is required under the blanket term ‘responsible pet ownership’?

🐶🍋❌ "𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗼𝗴𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲, not a Solution or Management Tool" says PPGA. "The Problem isn’t the dogs — it’s the lack of support for guardians and workers".
https://www.australiandoglover.com/2025/06/citronella-spray-use-on-dogs-is-not.html
Pet Professional Guild Australia calls for immediate education and humane strategies to support postal worker safety.

03/06/2025

Zac is a qualified MindDog. Passing a public access test as an adolescent Black Lab is no mean feat, and is to the credit of the dedication of his handler.
Zac has been on six flights now and is becoming more relaxed each time.
On his latest flight, he even had a short sleep on the plane!

mindDog Australia

29/04/2025

Unfortunately, this deception happens here too. It’s all about the language. It can be so difficult to determine what methods a business uses, that even trainers spend time asking other trainers if they have any information about a particular service because they can’t tell by reading their website. In fact, if you can’t tell from the website for sure, that’s usually a big tell. - But then they might just outright lie about it.

Given that the UK are more advanced in terms of their animal welfare and legislation, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was worse here.

Be aware that what is written on the webpage or what is being told to you is not necessarily the service you are going to receive. There is very little regulation in the pet industry in Australia, it’s up to you to ask questions.

I was working at a park recently where another trainer was also working. They worked with 3 dogs over the course of the afternoon. All of them on e-collars.

The trainer's website states that they use positive reinforcement techniques and are committed to ethical training. There's no mention of e-collars or physical punishment anywhere. So an unsuspecting owner looking for a rewards based trainer would be forgiven for thinking this trainer might be a good fit for them.

If it's important to you to find a trainer who doesn't use physical punishment or force the ONLY way to to do that is to ask an explicit question and make sure you get a clear, unequivocal answer...

"𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙨𝙡𝙞𝙥 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨, 𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙨, 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙨, 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙨, 𝙗𝙤𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙧𝙨?"

Don't rely on what a website or a page might say...they are marketing tools, remember. Always, always ask if it's important to you....even if you think you already know the answer. It's up to you to be an informed consumer and understand the product you're buying.

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(𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘰𝘸𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘥𝘴)

22/04/2025

What should you include in your Pet’s first aid kit? If you have an emergency, do you know where your nearest 24 hour clinic is located?

14/04/2025

Keep your dogs safe this Easter!

- Make sure all eggs are found during Easter egg hunts.
- Keep all toxic foods well out of reach.
- Common problem foods - chocolate, grapes, raisins, hot cross buns, macadamia nuts and xylitol products (sugar free products/chewing gum).
- Educate family and guests about the dangers of feeding potentially toxic foods
- Keep contact details and opening times of an urgent vet clinic handy and contact immediately if you think your pet has eaten something toxic.

30/03/2025

Inadequate legislation needs to be addressed Australia wide when it comes to our animals.

Tasmanian state law has the weakest protections for people relying on assistance animals, and discrimination reports are growing. Those affected say considering legal action to access public spaces and necessary services is exhausting.

30/03/2025

Lower your expectations when out of the home. Once you’re adding one of the three ‘D’s’ you have to make things easier. The three D’s being distance, duration and distraction.

17/03/2025

One of the most satisfying roles I have is helping potential MindDogs pass their public access test so they can be legally out and about supporting their human.

Happy . Did you know a mindDog can recognise signs of distress, such as crying, shaking, or self-isolating. They can then intervene by nudging, licking, or engaging their handler in a task, helping to break cycles of negative thinking or panic.

People who experience anxiety, PTSD, or panic attacks often feel unsafe in certain environments. A mindDog can provide reassurance by staying close, guiding their handler in stressful situations, or even performing tasks like “watching their back” in public spaces.

02/03/2025

Some great tips to consider if your furry friend requires hair care…

30/12/2024

What a great time of year to hit the road with the family and check out the amazing world we live in.
But what are the rules for travelling with a canine in your car? Is it legal to let your dog lean out the window? Can your dog travel in the front seat? And can dogs travel in hire cars?
RACV have answered some of the most common questions here about travelling with a dog, so that you and your companion can have a safe and enjoyable road trip.
Wishing you all a safe and happy new year 🐾

Many dogs travel well in cars but there's a number of laws you must follow to ensure their safety and comfort.

26/09/2024

Taking the time to build a relationship with your dog makes the rest much easier.

What matters more to you in dog training? How a dog feels or what a dog does? Every time I have the privilege of working with a new dog like Wallace, I’m reminded that the first steps in training aren’t about what I can get the dog to do, they’re about building trust.

Wallace, a German Shepherd/Malinois mix, has shown me yet again that when we take the time to connect on a deeper level, the learning follows naturally. For the first day or two, I didn’t focus on formal training, I focused on getting to know him, playing with him, and learning who he is as an individual.

And here’s the thing: once that bond is established, everything else becomes so much easier. It’s a partnership. When we prioritize the dog’s mental state, how they’re feeling, how they’re experiencing the world, training isn’t just about teaching behaviors. It’s about building a relationship that’s rooted in trust and understanding.

I’ve had so many requests to introduce more real-world distractions and environments, and trust me, we’re going there. But the foundation always starts with trust and empathy. It’s not just about what we want the dog to do; it’s about how we can support them in their journey.

I know some will say, ‘Not every dog has the luxury of time,’ especially those in shelters facing urgent situations. But even then, trust can be built quickly with the right approach without inadvertently creating mistrust of humans. It’s about quality, not just quantity. Every dog, no matter their background, deserves that opportunity to be seen for who they are. Curious to get your thoughts on Wallace and the new series coming out in a couple of months hopefully!